How to make the bowtie looking inlay??

[Jeff Monson]

I'm looking to add some detail to some drawer fronts made of red oak,
I've seen the inlays that look like a "bowtie" and was wondering on how
it is done and if they are very difficult to achieve.

[Mike Circo]

Well the easiest way is to buy a template...
For example:

http://www.eagleamerica.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_400-1918_A_cn_E_56069

Then you need the two part inlay router guide to trace the template once for the "hole" and the second time for the inlay.

http://www.eagleamerica.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_400-1302_A_cn_E_56069

Quite easy with the tools.
Manually or otherwise I couldn't begin to try it.


M

[Jeff Monson]

Thanks Mike, that is EXACTLY what I was looking for, "butterfly joint" why couldnt I think of that????

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

You can make a template or buy one and use a router then clean the corners with a chisel.

Or if you are in a hurry:
You can simply take a small saw and cut your little "bow tie" in the stock of choice slap it over the place you want to inset it and mark the outline with a sharp pencil. Then take a chisel to the meat inside and make it as flat bottomed as you can. I never go all the way through tho' I'm sure some folks do. Then, fit the butterfly to the cutout and glue it in place.

It'll take a tad longer than a router and template but you can make your butterfly as interesting intricate, rustic etc,. as you please.

[Mike Henderson]

I'm with Cliff on this. Unless you're going to do a whole bunch of these, they're very easy to do sort of "by hand". As Cliff suggested, cut your bowties on the band saw (or whatever you have). Then lay the bowtie where it's going to go and use a marking knife to mark the outline of the bowtie. Remove the bowtie and rub some chalk into the cut made by the marking knife (so you can see the mark better).

Take a small router - the laminate trimmers are very good for this - and put a straight bit in it. Put your bowtie under the router (not under the bit) and set the depth of the cut to be just a bit less than the thickness of the bowtie. You want your bowtie to be just proud after you inset it.

Use the router free hand but don't try to trim right up to the line - leave some wood between the line and your router cut. Then use a chisel and trim to the line, doing trial fits of the bowtie as you trim. When the bowtie just fits, you're finished.

ALSO - mark your bowtie so that you know the orientation. I put an arrow on the bowtie and an arrow on the wood to be inlayed into (the ground) so I make sure I'm putting it back the way I marked it. Also, if doing more than one bowtie, number them and number the inlay sites so you get them back the same way you marked them.

After you glue them and the glue dries, you can trim them flush using a plane, a scraper, or sandpaper.

Good luck!

Mike

[Al Navas]

But I was wrong :D . Sorry! --- Al

You can view the rest of the post here (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=47140&highlight=ties).


.

[Cary Swoveland]

Well the easiest way is to buy a template...
For example:

http://www.eagleamerica.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_400-1918_A_cn_E_56069

Then you need the two part inlay router guide to trace the template once for the "hole" and the second time for the inlay.

http://www.eagleamerica.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_400-1302_A_cn_E_56069
...

Woodsmith has a video showing how a pattern and router inlay kit are used. You can watch its "Podcast #14" at:
http://www.woodworkingonline.com/2007/03/05/podcast-14-router-inlays/

The pattern they use is that of a "butterfly", aka, a "bowtie", and, as I learned in the video, a "dutchman".

Cary

[Corey Hallagan]

I thought you had to use a template and inlay bit and guide until I saw David Marks do it in one of his shows. He got incredibly close to the line and a perfect cut with the router. Pretty much just like Cliff and David outline above.

Corey